The park is named after George L. Smith, a former speaker of the Georgia House of Representatives and Emanuel County native.

The park's location on a 412-acre (1.67 km2) mill pond dotted with many cypress trees makes it a destination for anglers and canoeists.

[citation needed] The moderately-sized state park is in a remote location, making it an attraction for bird watchers and naturalists.

The park includes nature trails that wind over seven miles through sandy soil and pass through a bird sanctuary and a tortoise habitat.

The loose soil is ideal for tortoise burrows, and the dense foliage of the wiregrass provides cover for a wide variety of wildlife.